Beware of AI Voice Scams: When a Familiar Voice Turns Out to Be a Fraud!

Kirandeb Bera
Jul 14
2 min read

What Is an AI Voice Scam?

AI Voice Scam is a new-age cyber fraud where scammers use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to clone the voice of your family member or friend — and then call you pretending to be them, often asking for urgent financial help.

"Dad, I’m in trouble. Please send ₹10,000 quickly or the police will arrest me..."

The voice sounds exactly like your son — but it's not him.

How Does the Scam Work? (Step-by-Step Mechanism)

Scammer collects voice samples from social media videos or public platforms. (Social Media or Youtube)
They process the voice using AI voice-cloning tools
You receive a call (often via WhatsApp or VoIP) with the cloned voice
The caller pretends to be in an emergency and emotionally pressures you to send money
In panic, you send money without verification

Real-World Case Study: New Delhi Incident

Name: Amit Verma, Businessman, Delhi

Incident: One evening he received a WhatsApp call — it was his son's voice:"Papa, I’ve been in an accident. I need ₹20,000 to pay the police or they’ll arrest me."

Amit instantly sent the money. Later, when he called his real son, he realized his son was perfectly fine at college. It was a voice-cloned AI scam. He reported the incident, but the money was already lost.

How to Recognize AI Voice Scams? (Red Flags)

Call comes from an unknown number but voice sounds familiar
The person creates urgency and avoids detailed questions
Communication happens via WhatsApp or internet-based calling
The caller insists only on sending money — no other option
Background audio feels unusually “too clean” or unnatural

How to Protect Yourself?

Always hang up and verify by calling the real person back directly
Cross-check with other family members before making any payment
Never share OTPs, PINs, or bank info — even if the voice feels real
Be mindful of voice or video content shared publicly
Don’t trust emergency calls from unknown WhatsApp numbers

Set a Family Code Word

Establish a secret code word known only to your family. In emergencies, ask the person to say that word. Scammers won’t know it — and you’ll instantly know something is wrong.